National and sub-national approaches towards the creation of an interoperability framework – the case of Spain: Creation of an interoperability framework – Spain

Interoperability allows public administrations to exchange public information in a faster and easier way and is recognised as a key factor supporting the digital transformation of European countries. In 2017, the European Commission published a revamped version of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) which serves as a guiding document for European countries on how to set up digital public services while promoting cross-border and cross-sector interoperability. This policy paper aims to explore the role of the EIF and its related monitoring mechanism in helping European countries foster intra-national and cross-domain interoperability, as well as the digitalisation of public administrations and services. To answer the research question, a case-study approach is selected. In particular, insights and good practices from the Spanish interoperability framework are analysed. The study shows how a successful national story can be the result of a strong commitment to align with European initiatives and policies. In addition, the Spanish case provides evidence on how interoperability can be fostered at national and sub-national levels and serve as an inspiration for other European countries.